Canberra's public and media were invited yesterday to the Human Rights Torch Invitation Ceremony, in the city centre. The Ceremony involved a number of Canberra region communities, including the Burmese, Darfur, Tibetan, and Vietnamese. Also present were representatives from the Catholic Archdiocese, the Refugee Action Committee, and World Citizens Association. They all signed a declaration of support for the Human Rights Torch Relay, currently making its way around the globe.
Bishop Pat Power of the Canberra-Goulburn Catholic Archdiocese has hailed the Relay as "a wonderful opportunity to be in solidarity with persecuted and minority groups in China," and that it "will bring to the attention of Australians the denial of justice and basic freedoms in China. The 2008 Olympics should not be allowed to appear as an endorsement of such abuses of power."
Torch Bearers and speakers for the Torch Relay in Canberra include parliamentarians, Bishops from both Catholic and Anglican churches, and 2006 ACT citizen of the year, Ngambri-Ngunnawal elder, Ms Matilda House. Live music from local Canberra acts has also been organised for the day.
The affirmation ceremony yesterday, a week ahead of the actual Torch's arrival, called for the Chinese government to desist from its human rights abuses before the Beijing Games in August next year. At the same time, community leaders affirmed the intrinsic link between human rights and the Olympic Spirit. Organizers of the Global Human Rights Torch Relay say that the way to assure that the Olympic Spirit truly animates the 2008 Games is by putting human rights front and centre.
They point to a number of severe human rights violations by the Chinese government, which have included killing for organs to sell—as in the case of executed prisoners and imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners. Other abuses include widespread use of forced labour camps for political dissidents and prisoners of conscience, torture, psychiatric abuses, beatings, arrests, and executions.
The Torch will arrive in Canberra, Garema Place, next Tuesday, December 11.
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